I’m deeply excited to share this particular wedding shoot with you all today. Not only is your wedding day a celebration of love and friendship — it’s also a prime opportunity to give back to your community and the world at large. A star team of vendors, including CarolineRo, Charleston Stems, Sara York Grimshaw Designs, and Sweetgrass Social, put together a lovely styled shoot to show how easy and beautiful it can be to implement charity into your big day:

From the photographer, CarolineRo: I’ve been in weddings for a bit and am such an advocate of having freedom in your wedding. To me, that means breaking the norm, straying away from stereotypes and in this case, giving back. One of my favorite authors, Bob Goff, talks a lot about not merely showing love but instead, exemplifying and being love. To me, this is showing off what really matters in life which is loving and serving other people.

So even though a wedding is definitely about a couple and their love — the union they’re about to make — it’s also such a perfect opportunity to show others what is important to them and how a marriage can impact others and help change the world. So all of that being said, I wanted to design and photograph a styled wedding shoot incorporating non-profits and organizations that do just that: give back (and in a beautiful way!).

The specific ideas/ways to give back that are seen in this shoot are:
-In lieu of a favor, making a donation to charity:water to help ensure that all people around the world have access to clean water, something we take for granted. Charity:Water has a lot of campaigns for everything from birthdays to specific countries-all ways that encourage others to give back.
-Use/wear jewelry that employ women in Africa. I’ve been a big fan of 31 Bits for a long time now and aside from their jewelry employing and empowering women in Africa, they are beautiful pieces and they also offer an entire bridal line. The bracelets and necklaces also make good gifts for bridesmaids.
-Bread bags and table numbers. Instead of the traditional table number, these table numbers represent a child in Africa that needs sponsoring. Also, the bread bags are a way to spotlight the organization that allows sponsoring of children, Bread of Life Mission.
-Clutches from Proud Mary. Harper Poe, of Proud Mary, buys all of the textiles she uses from different people in third world countries, thus giving them jobs! These also make great bridesmaids gifts. Lastly, The FEED bag. With each FEED bag purchased, 1 child is provided with 1 year of micronutrient powder.

Amazing concept. Has anyone heard of Love Gives Way? It’s a curated group of wedding vendors & creatives combining a portion of sales to help fight sex trafficking. The mission: “Let your one day affect her everyday.” So proud of them, and happy to take part.

I love that the couple is allowing their family and friends participate in their charity works.

There are a lot of things to like about their wedding: the necklaces and accessories of the bride and the bridesmaids (such eye-candies!), the gold-rimmed plates, the calligraphy on the invitations (modern chic), the succulent plants dusted with gold (elegant). Great wedding! Congratulations!